Carolina Panthers General Manager Should Keep Quiet

By Devin O'Barr

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The last thing that Cam Newton needs is a new front office telling him what kind of offense the Carolina Panthersshould run in 2013. It didn’t take long for new General Manager Dave Gettleman to get on my nerves as he is already making a mockery of one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Gettleman won two Super Bowls with the New York Giantsso I’m not going to call him unqualified, however, I will call him misinformed and nearsighted to say the least on his new team.

The comments that have my blood boiling is that Gettleman opened his mouth saying that Newton “has to make plays from the pocket” and dismissed the Panthers read-option offense saying it’s “just an option.” Clearly the newly hired General Manager doesn’t know what he has in Newton and has yet to identify himself with the personnel that the Panthers currently have.

This idea that Gettleman is mandating the team to focus on vertical passing and the running game is asinine. Taking Newton’s legs away from him is like going to the Denver Broncos and saying that they shouldn’t rely on Peyton Manning and the passing game so much. It’s idiotic to take a tool that won Newton the Rookie of the Year in 2011 and say he can’t use it anymore.

If Gettleman really wants a passing attack with powerful running backs maybe he should’ve went to the New York Jetsnot a team that has already established a running game through the most mobile quarterback in the league and not through its backs.

Ron Rivera said it best that through the read-option the Panthers are able to do so many different things–like be a force in the NFC South once again. Point blank Gettleman hasn’t got a clue what he’s talking about or preparing to do.